I know, I know, this is not a food blog. I am not known for my aesthetics in baking, but I just had to get this roll-cake reveal on Timelapse video and I can even relate it to screen time.
I like baking. I find it therapeutic. It helps me regain control and turn off my brain. It calms me.
But I also feel that way when I play certain kinds of video games, or when I go hiking, or even building a LEGO kit.
And yet…only one of those above hobbies is likely to get the blame if I were to rely on it as my only coping strategy. Some weeks, as my colleagues can attest, I bake 3-4 times a week, and not once has anyone accused me of being addicted to baking.
One of the things that gets brought up with screens and technology is how satisfying they are (as Rigby and Ryan call it, the “need density hypothesis”- see chapter 8 of my book for more on this!). But other things in life can give that kind of satisfaction as well: takeout, a drive-thru latte, a hug or physical connection that gives us a boost of endorphins.
None of these things are bad in isolation, but our relationship with them can be more or less problematic. Instead of focusing on WHAT kids are interested in, we’d be better served in focusing on their relationship with that interest, and if they have alternatives.
If kids satisfy every negative or unpleasant feeling with screens, or with anything, that's not sustainable long term. But that also doesn't mean it's not ok at all.
Sometimes we need the lowest hanging fruit- sometimes a quick fix is actually what I need in order to get myself to a more sustainable strategy. If I distract myself with an episode of TV and then go make a cake, I'm figuring out how different strategies work for me.
So if kids are turning to screens at the slightest frustration, we want to give them alternatives to try, but it's also ok to recognize that sometimes a screen may be an appropriate tool for the job.
